A LETTER FROM A Gentleman in Buckinghamshire near Water-Stratford, TO His Brother Mr. Thomas Pickfat, at the Three Kings in White-cross-street, in London. GIVING An Account of the Doctrine and manner the Behaviour of Mr. Mason, Minister Water-Stratford, within Two Miles of Buckingham. With the HYMNS they usually sing. Licenced according to Order. LONDON, Printed for Randal Taylor, near Star●…ers Hall, 1694. A LETTER FROM A Gentleman in Buckinghamshire, near Water-Stratford, TO His Brother, Mr. Thomas Pickfat, at the Three Kings in White-cross-street, etc. Brother, I Have here, according to your Desire, sent an Account concerning Mr. Mason, Minister of Water Stratford, Two Miles from Buckingham: I have sent Two Hymns of Mr. Mason's own making, which He and his Hearers sing frequently, by which you may gather what their Belief is. But more particularly, I have heard some of his Hearers say, That they did believe they should see Christ appear, but in what manner they would not be positive. Some of them would say, Visibly appear; others say, His Appearance in the Clouds, and his Reign in the Clouds. Farther, I have heard them say, That those that did believe this, and did see his Appearance, should live One thousand Years, and all that while without Sin; and likewise, That the fullness of the Gentiles was come in. They call Water-Stratford, ZION; and count Mr. Mason a Prophet, in the which the Revelations of St. John is only to be Revealed. They do conclude this Reign will begin about Ascension-Day next; and that all that believe this, must dwell at Stratford, and there they will be preserved, and neither Magistrate can meddle with them, nor any other Hurt can befall them; and that they shall stand upon Mount Zion, and see all the Wicked round about them be burnt up. They have had Music and Dancing, and singing of Hymns, and clapping of Hands about Six Weeks, Night and Day: While some Sleep, others Sing and Dance. The Week before Easter, several Families removed to Stratford to live, carrying all they had thither. They fold Houses and Land for what they could get. They did, last Winter, lay in at Stratford, Twenty Quarter of Wheat, Ten Quarter of Malt, and Twenty or Thirty Hundred of Cheese. This Spring they have laid in several Fat Bullocks, and Hogs. On Easter-Monday Night Mr. Mason declares, he saw Christ; and on the next Lord's-Day following some of our Neighbours went to Stratford to hear and see how the People went on; and being a great Multitude of People gathered together round the Country, more than the Church could contain, they stood in the Minister's Yard, and he, out of his Chamber Window, declared unto the Multitude, That on the Monday Night before, he being in Bed and awake, lying on his Left-side he turned himself to his Right, he saw Christ sitting in a Chair, and a Candle lighted in a Candlestick standing on a Stool, and that Christ was clothed in a purple Robe dipped in the Blood of his Enemies; and he confirmed this with an Oath, saying, By the Eternal God what he said was true, and that himself was neither in a Dream, nor Mad, nor Drunken, neither was he Affrighted. But I cannot understand by any, that he says the Christ which he saw did speak to him. He hath not given the Sacraments these last Two Years. And now they do not Read nor Pray, only Four or Five of the last Words of the Lord's Prayer, which is in Praise of the Glory of God. They say All is done, and there is nothing to be done only to Praise God. They had for their Music a Violin, Tabor and Pipe. Those who was of the same Faith, they being Poor and having nothing to put into the Stock, they have turned them off about a Week since, from being constant to Diet with them; and they have turned off since, the other Poor of their Faith. There may be about Forty that are constant; but there is sometimes Five Hundred, or One thousand, or more, to see their Fashions and Actions in Dancing. Your Brother Tom. and George, and some other Young Men of our Town, went last Saturday Night to see them, and stayed all Night, and they saw them dance all Night, but had no Music but only singing of Hymns: Their Dancing is in no Order, but after an Antic manner, sometimes Three taking Hands and jumping round, other while leaping from one end of the Room to the other, catching over their Heads with their Hands, and clapping their Hands, saying sometimes, Appear, Appear, Appear, other while, Glory, Glory, Glory. There is one Dancer among them with a Wooden Leg, and he makes a great noise among them with his Leg when he cuts Capers. This Mr. Mason will not dispute with any Divine concerning his Opinion, but will only say, All is done, they that are Righteous let them be Righteous still; and they that are Filthy, let them be Filthy still. Divers Ministers go to see him; and in particular, our Minister, Mr. Crofts, went last Wednesday, but could not be admitted to see Mr. Mason, he then being Ill with a Quinsy; but with some of his Hearers, in particular, the Man with the Wooden Leg, Mr. Crofts saying, That the Heavens must retain Christ until the Restitution of all Things. The Man said, All Things were restored. Our Minister answered, They were not all restored, because he had not his good Leg restored again. We do hear, that within Two Days past, some of the Saints of New-named Zion, have left it, and go about their Employments again. I know no more at present, but when I am farther satisfied of their Proceed you shall know of it. I have sent Two Hymns. I have a Copy which I borrowed which had Two more, made by some of his Hearers, there being little in them, only taking the Lord's Name often in vain; and time would not permit, I forbear. Yours, etc. HYMNS MADE By Mr. Mason, THE MINISTER. This HYMN they had before Christmas: They Sung this, and the other, in the Tune of a Ballad. OUR Jesus this Day is Proclaimed in our Streets, He's visibly Crowned, and he's highly Renowned From the East to the West, from the North to the South: 'Tis the Language I hear in every one's Mouth, That Jesus is King; let us Joyfully sing Our Jesus is King, our Jesus is King. All Glory, All Glory, all Glory alone, To the Glory that sits on his Glorious Throne; All Heavenly sweet Flowers be strewed in his way, Hallelujahs, Hosannas with Millions of Praise: All Glory is due to the Holy and True, Who sits on his Throne and makes us all New. Come now to his Temple, ye Looker's for Jesus, His Honour advance, and his Praise in the Dance: Break forth into Singing ye Mountains and Woods, For Joy clap your Hands ye Fountains and Floods, Taken out of Revelations 15.3, 4. Let him be adored by Angels and Men, And Zion adorned with her Tabrets again. Another since. 'TIs come, 'tis done, this is the Day. My promised Saviour's come away; 'Tis come, 'tis done, this is the Hour My Lord assumes his Royal Power. 'Tis come, 'tis done, this is the Time, Saints light your Lamps and run to him: The Day is past, my Light is come, My Christ he is the Risen Sun. The Lord has Judged the Cursed Whore, Her Smoke risen up for evermore, And now all Scandal's at her cast, The Beast and Dragon chained fast. Proud Babylon in Ashes lies, Her Sins have reached to the Skies, And God to her Reward hath given, Because her Sins have reached to Heaven. Let all the Saints and Angels sing Loud Hallelujahs to our King. Amen. All Honour, Glories due Unto the Holy, Just and True. Salvation to our God on high, Amen, Amen, the Angels cry. Great and marvellous are thy Works Jehovah, working Wonders; It lighteneth when our Lord appears, And when he speaks, it thunders. Most Just and True are all thy ways, Thy Saints shall bless thee all their Days: Thou art our King they gladly sing, Thy Subjects are before thee. Had People known thy glorious Name, They would have Glorified thee; For Lord thou art that Holy One, And there is none beside thee. The Nations all shall flock and meet With bowed Faces at his Feet; Thy Judgements show thy Glory now, Let all the World adore thee. FINIS.